


What did you expect

by Augurey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Background Slash, Drama & Romance, F/M, Flash Fic, Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, Tragic Romance, Translation, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26143633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Augurey/pseuds/Augurey
Summary: Minerva McGonagall makes a confession to Albus Dumbledore. But things do not go as well as hoped. Translated fanfiction
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore/Minerva McGonagall
Kudos: 14





	What did you expect

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Was hast du erwartet - StoryHub Fanfiction](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17412929) by [Augurey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Augurey/pseuds/Augurey). 



> Content warning: violence and injuries (only as a metaphor)

The candy tasted sweet, the water only salty. Icy gusts bit Minerva in the face. September could be rough, here in Scotland. Rough as the echo of dear words off a rocky coast; rough as the nothingness into which she strived. She tightened, she walked upright. She turned good face to evil. Nothing should the students suspect, nothing the colleagues. She carried too much on her shoulders. Rumors could be deadly, not only for this war, which has now lasted for over a decade. Who should educate a class of Erklings?! Shrill laughter only in all corners! Laughter at her. No! That's why her lips had been sealed for so long. That's why she had blocked her mind from her heart. Had declared butterflies and butter knees a pipe dream. Had stood at his side with an iron mask, as his right hand, his confidante, too old, too dried up for the passions of youth. A juggling game before herself. Eagerly only choking down the doubts! But her heart had not swallowed the bitter pill and spat out the feelings again.

 _What did you expect_ , whispered the wind. 

Tears, now the tears ran - mist of spray on square glasses. The tartan cloth was already quite damp. From the branches of the Forbidden Forest owls gazed at her, but no student's eye. And no colleague pressed his footprint into the mud. Here at the edge of the forest they were allowed to be - they, whom Minerva had tried to assassinate in vain. Feelings, thunder waves equal. Warmth deep in her chest. The wild heart beat much too fast, driving sugar water through her veins.The sound of his voice in her ears, notes of wisdom; the mildness of his eyes while he is a real teaser, his silvery white hair, flowing beautifully - robbers of her dreams, nights over which crescent glasses sparkled. A poison so bittersweet that she wanted more of the hemlock. What foolishness, you tragic child! Child, he had always been only a playful child and at the same time the wisest head among the battlements. That had always impressed her in her seriousness. Too much, too much. Why had she not kept silent until the feelings perhaps no longer spoke? Why had she confessed to him like a sinner confessing her wrongdoing? Crime, yes, that was it. But not hers. This execution block was built for a winged archer who wanted to destroy two lifelong friends with his arrow. Again Minerva saw his eyes before her, Albus' eyes, so familiar, so far away. They had been full of warmth, full of pity and regret. The dagger he had to drive into her heart, it lay heavy in his hand. As heavy as the blade, meant for her, cut him too.

 _What did you expect,_ whispered the wind. 

What she had expected was nothing. What she had longed for was far too much. She had wanted the woman to be at his side, yet foolishly forgot that she already was. Minerva Dumbledore, Albus McGonagall. But he was a brother who needed his sister, not a bridegroom his bride. 

"Minerva..." he had whispered to her as he embraced her helplessly, wasting his comfort in vain.

And between the soft words she had also overheard the quiet ones. _If there was a woman in this world with whom I could fall in love, it would be you. But I cannot. I cannot love women, not in this way._ The truth fell in flakes and landed heavy on her heart. Had she, Minerva; she, the sister, not always known? How much had the scent of roses clouded her? How much the poison clouded her senses? So many decades, so many years at his side. Not a secret romance, entrusted in the secrecy of friendship, not a kiss or rings. But sometimes, in secret, their eyes had furtively wandered to the same magician on both sides. Silence had settled as a veil on Minerva's heart, although only for a second, when in his desperation he reached for the glass with the glittering paper to drive away the burning salt with the sugar.

"What's his name," Minvera asked, crow-rough and north-wind-chilly, how she had felt, but not wanted it.

"What are you talking about?"

His voice resembled a still ocean. But she had been a diver in it long enough to know its depths. Didn't the seaquake throw ripples on his forehead, his skin was pale spray. 

"Albus, I have known for a long time that you love men," she replied in the slipstream of his fear, "I do not condemn you for it.

He lowered his gaze as if from heavy stones that depressed his heart. Stones old as the world, not freshly cut like the pebbles in her soul. In the fireplace the storm whistled, danced into the room.

"There is no _HE_ ," Albus confessed whispering, "It would not be good, would only lead to disaster. 

Silence, momentary standstill of the world. The darkness rained down with the knowledge. For a moment Minerva no longer felt her wound, only the pain in his voice. His silver hair waved grey in the cold draught. Grey like the forgetting that ate youth

"So love has betrayed you too?" she concluded bitterly.

He looked at her and kept silent - not a word in unity.

 _What did you expect_ , whispered the wind .


End file.
